[Vireo Archambeau]

Ever since he had asked the incredibly embarrassing question to Joey he had agonized over the question of if it meant anything. When he went home for the summers he was able to be among Muggles who knew things about the world that magical folk didn't. At least some of them. The wizarding world was incredibly stuck in the past, so much so that he has been uncertain how to come out and be himself with incredible difficulty from other students and perhaps even some staff. Not exactly an environment where he could just go about asking anyone.

So when he had worked up the gumption to finally ask someone it felt natural for it to be Professor Salvatore. She had been the first person to ever approach him with the reassurance that she understood, accepted, and had a place to safely be who he was and ask questions if he needed to. Which he needed to do ever since he had met a certain freckled Slytherin. Vireo had immediately gone right up to the Divination Tower after classes were over, slipping into the circular room after some younger years had left. "Professor, I was wondering if it would be alright to speak with you?"

Gypsy Salvatore

[Gypsy Salvatore]

Gypsy is busy brewing. Not potions. Those are for people who like the present day. She's brewing tea because it's soothing and one never knows when to expect a visitor. Visitors like tea and crumpets. Gypsy always has some of both. She really is the strange old auntie in the attic that parents tell their kids to avoid but kids can't help being curious about. Visitors also, often come to her tower for advice. Gypsy is full of that too. In the tea. Being a Seer, Gypsy suspects someone is coming - another reason for the tea. She's got her back to the door and before he enters, she speaks. "Hello Vireo." Some students find it unnerving when they arrive in their third year and are faced with the option of Divination. Then they take her class and are more unnerved that she knows each of them already and little things about them. It's part of her skills. "Of course, my little greenfinch, come in, dearest." After all, Vireo is the name of an American songbird and Vireo is as sweet as one. "I've just put on a fresh pot of tea." Vireo Archambeau

[Vireo Archambeau]

It is always so interesting that Professor Salvatore always knew when people were arriving and who they were without even seeing them. Since taking the class her ability had certainly lent a lot of credibility to Divination as a whole that she seemed to see without physically seeing. Vireo also suspected it was not a skill that could be learned, not in the same manner anyway. From his understanding legilimency could give you a vague sense of people approaching but not exactly the who or why, that was a wholly different matter. "Merci beaucoup."

The professor calling him greenfinch reminded him of his own mother which made him relax as he came into the room further. He placed his schoolbag in an empty seat and blew out a breath to clear his head, wanting to have his thoughts organized before he asked for advice. With her, he knew he was safe to inquire about how one could tell if someone else was queer. Or at least figure out how one could ask without causing an uproar. "I am finding myself in a strange place...I like someone who I am unsure of how to approach. I attempted to ask him in a Muggle fashion but I'm afraid it did not seem to work."

(Thank you very much.)
Gypsy Salvatore

[Gypsy Salvatore]

The bracelets around her wrists jingle together as she moves from her spot brewing tea to collect a plate and place the biscuits upon it for serving to her troubled student. The kettle whistles then and she sets the plate down before Vireo with a nudge that he should have one. She fiddles with the teapot, filling it and bringing that to the small table always set up in her tower for guests. "Is it sugar or honey? I can't quite remember. I have so many students come visit me after hours." She thinks for a moment, as if she truly is remembering. "I always prefer honey, it's much more natural then the refined stuff made by man." Horrible species. Women are so much more delicate and delicious. She's not ignoring what Vireo has to say but simply getting settled before addressing his concerns. "It is a tricky conundrum to learn of someone's sexual preference without causing offense." She comments, thinking back on her own life and her late wife. "Sometimes you just have to watch them closely for signs. It was easier for me...I had a vision of my future and I saw my wife and I knew immediately that the feelings I had been keeping locked away for her were meant to come out." She offers Vireo the tea. "Drink and perhaps we shall see if your boy is in your future plans." Vireo Archambeau

[Vireo Archambeau]

"Honey, s'il te plaît. I am enjoying it over refined sugar too, there is something much more pleasing about the taste." It was such a relief to be here talking to Professor Salvatore. In his years here at Hogwarts, she had become much bigger in his life than any of his other teachers, likely because she understood him better than others did. Truthfully she was one of the only adults in his life who knew he was gay as he had not yet gotten the courage up to tell his parents. While being gay was decriminalized, to a point, it was still not something that was widely accepted.

Taking a couple of biscuits from the offered plate he bit one in half to chew as she got settled across from him. She was right in that it was difficult to ask someone. The phrase he had used for the Slytherin guy, Joey, had backfired and he had not been sure how else to put it that wouldn't be way too straightforward. He sometimes wished he'd been gifted with a sight like that. If he knew things would work out he would be so much less worried about how to talk to the cute freckled Slytherin. Seeing as he was halfway through his sixth year though he was sure he would run out of time before he figured it out, hence his coming to Professor Salvatore.

"I suppose I do not know how to see those kinds of signs, and what if there are none?" Vireo was worried that the guy he liked might not be gay at all which would make any sign he imagined very wrong indeed. Approaching him without knowing could also blow up in his face and make the last year and a half of school very difficult, never mind the potential repercussions when trying to get into the Auror career track. The magical world was a lot less advanced socially than Muggles, and Muggles were still pretty prejudiced and hateful. He sipped at his tea slowly and thought about Joey, hoping it would help. "Can the tea leaves truly see that? Or is it more of a vague possibility?"

Gypsy Salvatore

[Gypsy Salvatore]

She nods and adds the honey to his tea before handing it over to him. She fixes her own as well. "Quite agree!" When students enter their third year, Divination is one class they all wish to take. The unknown is fascinating and so many want to discover for themselves if they have the talent and if they do not, they immediately think it's all a hoax. Gypsy is never offended by their opinions. Only those with the right mindset can access their inner eye anyway. "It is no different than that of a boy noticing a girl he fancies, my dear, Greenfinch." Perhaps she needs to educate Vireo on those signs. "He might...make eye contact and smile at you, or lean in closer when you speak together. Perhaps he brushes against you whenever you two are in close proximity to one another? Or does he seem nervous?" She does not know all the circumstance of Vireo and his crush, but she certainly has some tips for her young student. "The leaves are as clear or vague as your questions might be. Focus on what you wish to know and we shall see, mhm..." Vireo Archambeau

[Vireo Archambeau]

"I would be putting things at more nervous?" It was very different to a boy noticing a girl because their lives would not be ruined should either not want to date. Vireo knew that if he read the wrong things out of body language that he could very well find bars put in place to hinder all sorts of things if not worse. The wizarding world was not ready and he wasn't sure it ever would be. Still, maybe it would be helpful for the next time he ran into Joey. He was cute and he was very curious about whether they could like one another enough to date.

"I am not being sure if it was nervous as in he liked me, or nervous as in he was not knowing me." Perhaps he just had not noticed the signs because he had been so anxious about the what-ifs plus the baking. He had needed to focus on the cookies at the time too after all. It still made his stomach feel like it was full of butterflies to remember. So he focused on that and the question he wanted to ask intently as he drank his tea. Slow and unrushed so that it could set in until the tea was gone, leaving just the leaves at the bottom. Nervously he offered the cup to her. "Is there anything in them?"

Gypsy Salvatore

[Gypsy Salvatore]

While she can sympathize with the young man Gypsy can do no more but guide him on this path. The work has to be done by him if he wishes to pursue this relationship he wishes for. Vireo speaks of his concern and uncertainty when it comes to what he experienced with the young boy he fancies. She understands that and nods along with his words. The encouragement to continue to drink his tea is ever present. They will know soon enough. Gypsy hopes whatever she views in the tea is helpful to Vireo. "We shall see." She sips her own tea without thought. Gypsy has nothing on her mind but focusing on the troubles of the youth before her. When he finishes the tea, Vireo hands the cup over to Gypsy and she peers into the depths. There's a small pool of tea in the bottom he missed but it will not affect anything. Gypsy looks around the cup and frowns at first. There does not seem to be anything enlightening and then... "Oh! Most excellent!" She leans forward to show Vireo. "There. A little heart with a ring around it. As you know, the heart represents matters of love and romance, health and vitality. There in the middle of your cup it lies and with a ring around it. This is a good omen my dear. The location means that love will take center stage in your life and that ring represents a successful new partner. You were thinking of your boy, non?" Gypsy grins. She could not have asked for a more positive reading for Vireo. Vireo Archambeau

[Vireo Archambeau]

One day Vireo hoped there would be far less uncertainty and fear for people like him. People could go on denying, hating, and ostracizing those of queer leanings but it would never make them disappear. Sadly all one could do was endure and fight back in a way that might change things later. All while trying to maintain one's life. A terrible balance to keep and a terrible burden for children to have to bear. "I have a hope."

Hope was a good thing as long as it didn't become a festering wound that kept one from moving forward. He didn't think his hope was that way which is why it had endured this long he was sure. No one could take it from him until he was ready to let it go and that was important, given all the rumours and whispers of darkness rising. Today, however, he only wanted to focus on the possibility of figuring out if the boy he was falling for was even someone he could pursue safely.

When she said most excellent his heart leapt up into his throat. He leaned close as she did, observing the tea leaves in the cup as she interpreted what they meant. The little burgeoning warmth in his chest as he found out that he would indeed have love and it would be the center of his life was all he could ask for. Of course, he was sure it would take time, patience, and a lot of effort but all good things did, didn't they?

"I was thinking of him, oui." Now that he knew love was in his future he was set on the idea of asking Joey how he felt about, well, boys. Or queer people...no, maybe he should ask if he was interested in anyone first? Merlin he was going to be a bundle of nerves even trying to go to him about this. The tea leaves could be wrong after all, or not refer to the freckled Slytherin at all. "Professor if it is not too offensive...are these methods true? I find them fascinating but have not reached any understanding whether it is...well...accurate."

Vireo Archambeau